Our Ties
by aflowerinthegrass
Summary: The story of Kingdom Hearts from a new character's viewpoint.


Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. If I did Axel would not freaking DIE in Kingdom Hearts 2!!!! *grabs tissue and sniffles*

I hope you guys enjoy it! Please no flames, only constructive criticism!

Sunlight filtered through the leaves of a palm branch, illuminating Mari's face with bright stripes. Like a predator, she crouched low as she eyed her innocent prey, which was completely oblivious to the fate that was to befall him. A devious grin formed on her face, revealing pearly white teeth, and she slinked behind a maze of bushes, grunting under her breath at the spiky edges of some of the leaves.

In front of her, lay a teenage boy with out-of-control, spiky brown hair. He was using his hands as a pillow against the grainy sand and the calm ocean waves barely reached his yellow shoe clad feet. Scanning her surroundings carefully, Mari continued forward towards the boy, devious grin growing wider and more pronounced. As soon as she was only inches away, she took in a deep breath and pounced mercilessly on the sleeping boy.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He screamed as he felt the weight of something fall across his stomach, nearly knocking the breath out of him. An amused giggle reached his ears and immediately he knew the source of his disturbing wake up call.

"Mari! Gimme' a break, I was sleeping!" Mari rolled over next to him, clutching her rib cage as she guffawed.

"Sora," Mari gasped for breath as another fit of laughter took over her, "you should've seen the look on your _face!_" Sora muttered irritably as Mari showed him an imitation of his surprised face as she widened her eyes and screamed femininely.

"I do not scream like that!" Mari raised an eyebrow disbelievingly.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that Sora." Sora rolled his eyes and tossed a handful of sand at Mari. Her eyes flashed dangerously, and suddenly the two teens were locked in a battle of wills. Sand and insults flew as the beach was torn apart by a sandstorm created solely by the two. Even as they attacked each other, they were completely oblivious to their audience.

"I bet you ten munny that Mari wins."

"Nah man, Sora has a chance, yeah?"

"No, Mari _always_ wins. It's like a freaking law of nature or something." The two boys continued arguing amongst themselves as the sand fight dwindled slowly, leaving Mari and Sora covered in sand. Mari shook her hair, sandy grains flying away and Sora sneezed as some flew up his nose.

"Truce?" Mari nodded as she continued brushing herself off. Sora grinned widely and brushed his hair rapidly with his hands. A giggle from behind them caught Mari and Sora off guard and they both turned around simultaneously. Kairi covered her mouth with her hand as another giggle escaped her mouth.

"What happened?" Sora blushed and pointed to Mari accusingly.

"She started it!" Mari huffed indignantly and slapped Sora's hand away.

"Well you shouldn't have been asleep on the beach again! You're going to get skin cancer one day from laying in the sun so much you know!" Kairi placed her hand on her hip.

"Sora, did you fall asleep on the beach again?" Sora laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head.

"Eheh, maybe?" Mari snickered at Sora's nervous antics as Kairi narrowed her eyes.

"You," Sora gulped.

"are such a lazy bum." Sora's jaw dropped and Mari burst into another fit of laughter. Kairi soon joined her and Sora found himself being heckled by two teenage girls who happened to be his best friends. Well, excluding one that is.

"Har har, you're so funny. Speaking of funny, where's Riku?" Mari paused in her laughter.

"Uh, when did Riku become funny? I must've missed something…" Sora and Kairi paused thoughtfully.

"Let me rephrase that, speaking of funny _looking_, where's Riku?" Sora groaned painfully as a blunt object whacked him on the back of his head. Anime tearing, Sora turned around to confront the source of his pain, only to see his funny, erm, funny looking friend.

"I heard that, and I also heard your scream a moment ago. Your scream is higher than Mari's." Kairi laughed as Sora and Mari cried "hey!"

"I do not scream like a girl!"

"I do not have a high-pitched scream." Suddenly, Mari let out a piercing shriek as she felt something crawling on her arm. The large, furry spider blinked at her and Mari waved her arm around in panic.

"Ah! Get it off, get it off, get it off!" Riku smirked and removed the spider from Mari's arm, flinging it away from them.

"Of course you don't." Mari huffed and stuck her tongue out at her silver haired friend.

"Well that's mature." Kairi laughed and took pity on Sora, who was currently in a self-induced emotional dark corner.

"Uh, Sora?" Sora ignored her, his hunched back turned away from her. Mari titled her head to the side.

"Is Sora in his emo corner again?" Sora started mumbling dark words under his breath as a rain cloud appeared over his head. Riku, Mari, and Kairi sweatdropped as the rain cloud started to pour rain over Sora's head.

"I guess so…"

"Ugh, not again!"

It was a typical day for the four teens on Destiny Islands. School had been out for a few weeks, and summer was in full swing with days filled with sun, beach, and craziness. One evening, changed the fate of these four teens forever.

Mari, Sora, Riku, and Kairi were all on the adjacent island staring out into the sunset. Mari was lying on her stomach on the ground, Riku was leaning against the tree bent all the way to the side, Kairi was sitting on the tree, and Sora was sitting next to her. The four were unusually silent yet it was not awkward.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Mari turned to Sora and nodded; a tired smile on her face.

"Could be, we'll never know by staying here." Sora leaned forward questioningly.

"But how far could a raft take us?" Riku shrugged, his arms crossed across his chest.

"Who knows? If we have to, we'll think of something else."

"Yeah, we'll just build a plane next time, it's not like we're just teenagers or anything." Riku shot Mari a dirty look, which she returned in kind. Kairi giggled and shook her head.

"So, suppose you get to another world. What would you do there?" Riku furrowed his brows thoughtfully.

"Well, I haven't really thought about it. It's just…I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds…then ours is just a piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?" Mari contemplated Riku's words as she sat up.

"Well, everything happens for a reason, right? Even if we could have ended up somewhere else, maybe we were all _meant_ to be here." Riku nodded and Sora laid back against the tree.

"I don't know."

"That's why we need to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff. So let's go." Mari stood to her feet, and leaned between Sora and Kairi against the tree.

"You've been thinking a lot lately, haven't you?" Riku looked at Kairi and smiled.

"Thanks to you, if you hadn't come here, I probably would've never thought of any of this. Kairi, thanks." Sora and Mari shot each other questioning looks. When did Riku start liking Kairi?

"You're welcome." Mari and Kairi left the island while the boys stayed behind. Suddenly, Mari slapped her hand to her forehead in frustration.

"Idiot!" Kairi looked offended. Mari's eyes widened as she shook her hands wildly.

"No, not you! Me! I left my backpack on the island." Kairi smiled and nodded.

"Alright, I'll see you later then!" Mari grinned and Kairi got into her boat. As Mari walked back to the island, she saw Sora and Riku standing on the boardwalk talking. She narrowed her eyes as she was Riku toss something to Sora. The ocean and the wind muted their words and Mari strained to hear.

"Paopu-"

"Share-destinies become intertwined-" They might as well have been speaking gibberish. Mari nodded at Riku in passing as she walked up the stairs and stopped when she felt his hand on her arm.

"Hey," Mari turned to Riku with a confused look on her pretty face.

"Hey?" Riku took his hand off of her arm and smiled.

"Are you alright? You look like something's bothering you." Mari chewed her lower lip as she tried to put her thoughts into words.

"What was that back there?" Riku looked confused.

"What do you mean?" Mari huffed and placed her hand on her hip.

"'If you hadn't come here, I probably would have never thought of any of this?' Sounds to me like you have a thing for Kairi," Riku raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think that?" Mari gave Riku an incredulous look.

"Are you _kidding_ me? People don't say stuff like that anymore unless they like someone!" Riku smirked and Mari felt her irritation grow.

"_What are you smirking at?!_" Mari jumped as Riku put his arm around her and leaned in close to her face.

"I may be wrong, but you're acting…jealous." Blushing red, Mari pushed Riku away from her and glared fiercely.

"Shut up you silver haired idiot!" Riku laughed and Mari's anger only grew.

"What is so funny?!"

"I was just kidding!" Mari froze as Riku walked past her, bumping her shoulder purposely. Mari turned on her heel, steam coming out of her ears.

"I KNEW YOU WERE KIDDING YOU RETARD!" Riku laughed and waved his hand flippantly.

"Sure you did Mari, sure you did." Mari growled under her breath and finally retrieved her backpack.

"Stupid silver haired son of a gun, I should take his practice sword and shove it up his butt and see what he says." As Mari ranted she began to cackle insanely and rubbed her hands together. She paused as she felt stares on her back and a sweatdrop formed over her head.

"Eheheh, heat stroke?"

"_The door has opened…" A giant, white door with stained glass panes flashed in the distance. Dark hands clawed at her feet, and yellow, soulless eyes stared at her from the abyss. She ran from the darkness, hearing the voices of her friends urging her to run. Except for one…_

_She skidded to a stop as her missing friend stood in front of her. Silvery locks falling in his eyes which were nearly as soulless as the yellow eyes behind her. A savage grin took over his face as a black sword with a sharp tip conjured in his hand. _

"_Riku?" A scream escaped her as he brought the blade down on her…_

Mari woke up from her nightmare with a scream escaping her throat. Sunlight poured through the window to her right, casting the left side of her face into shadow. Mari wiped the sweat from her forehead, and disentangled herself from the sheets rolled around her feet.

"What a nightmare…" Brushing the dream aside, Mari dressed for the day and quickly paddled over to the other island. Selphie greeted her with a smile and pulled her to the side.

"Guess what Mari!" Her curiosity peaked; Mari allowed herself to be pulled away and widened her eyes.

"What?" Selphie giggled and looked around Mari to make sure no one would hear.

"Yesterday, I saw Sora with a PAOPU FRUIT! Isn't that just so romantic?" A loud crash followed Selphie's words as Mari anime fell. Selphie looked down with concern.

"Mari? Are you alright?" Mari slapped her hand to her forehead and dragged it down her face.

"Just peachy, speaking of Sora, have you seen him?" Selphie pointed to the small tunnel hidden inside the bushes near the waterfall.

"I think I saw him go that way…" Mari nodded and ran off towards the "Secret Place." A smile came to her lips as she remembered when the Secret Place had been discovered.

_Flashback_

"_MARI-MARI-MARI-MARI-MARI!" Mari jumped in surprise as Sora came running up to her with wide eyes matching his wide grin. _

"_Guess what!" Mari placed her coloring book to the side. _

"_What?" Sora's grin grew even wider as he pulled Mari from her sitting spot on the dock. _

"_I found a secret spot! And it has a monster in it!" Sora tugged Mari all the way over to the waterfall where Riku was waiting for them. _

"_Took ya' long enough Sora." Sora made a face and pointed accusingly at Mari. _

"_Hey! She's the one that runs like a girl!" Mari's temper sparked as she shook her fist at a cowering Sora._

"_**What was that?!" **__Riku sweatdropped as Sora and Mari started slapping each others' hands while turning their faces away. After three minutes of this, Riku finally had enough. _

"_Are you two girls finished yet?" Sora and Mari stopped and simultaneously glared at their friend. The three friends leaned in towards the bushes, and a low rumbling noise that sounded similar to growling echoed from inside. _

"_You're telling me, there's a monster in here?" Riku questioned in disbelief as he and Mari listened carefully._

"_It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!" Sora exclaimed defensively. Mari scooted closer to Sora as thoughts of scary monsters filled her mind. _

"_A-are you sure?" Sora nodded. Riku, however wasn't convinced._

"_You sure you didn't just hear it this time?" _

"_What difference does it make? There's a huge monster in there, I tell you!" Mari gulped. _

"_How big?" Sora held his arms out as wide as he could. _

"_THIS big!" Mari bit her bottom lip nervously and discreetly backed away from the bushes. _

"_All right. Suppose there really is a monster…think we can beat it by ourselves Sora?" Mari crossed her arms indignantly. _

"_Hey! I'm here too!" Riku gave Mari a bland look. _

"_Yeah, but you're a girl, girls aren't supposed to fight." He stated matter-of-factly. Mari's face turned red as her temper rose again. _

"_You would know wouldn't you since you're mistaken for a girl all the time!" Sora's jaw dropped as Riku's face turned white with anger. _

"_I am not!" Sora snickered _

"_She's got you there…" Riku's left eye twitched irritably. _

"_SHUT UP!" Calming himself down, Riku cleared his throat and looked into the bushes. _

"_Shh, quiet! We have to be careful…" The three children silently crawled through the bushes and followed the dark tunnel with roots buried inside the walls. They came into a small cave with one hole in the ceiling that streamed in sunlight. On the other side of the room was a wooden door with no knob. Riku shook his head as he looked around._

"_See that? It was just the wind making that noise." Sora placed his hands behind his head and sighed. _

"_Aw, man. I wish it was a monster. Hold on! What's that over there?" The children looked at the door with curiosity. Mari walked up to it and knocked on it lightly. _

"_I think it's a door." She pulled on the rounded edge of one of the sides and it wouldn't budge._

"_It won't open." Sora sighed again in disappointment. _

"_Geez, is that really all that's in here?" Riku rolled his eyes and Mari shrugged. _

"_What do you expect in a boring place like this? Hey," Sora and Mari turned to Riku. _

"_When we grow up, let's get off this island. We'll go on real adventures, not this kid stuff!" Both Mari and Sora were surprised by Riku's enthusiasm. _

"_Uh…" _

"_Sure!" Sora exclaimed enthusiastically, unlike Mari who looked troubled. "Hey, you know the new girl at the mayor's house?" _

_Flashback end_

Mari pushed through the bushes and slowly followed the tunnel she now could travel through with her eyes closed. The sound of muffled voices greeted her ears, and she softly tiptoed towards the end of the tunnel. Her eyes widened as she saw Sora talking to a man in a brown cloak with a hunched back. A dark feeling twisted in her stomach as the man's deep voice echoed through the small room.

"You do not yet know what lies beyond the door." Mari looked to the wooden door behind him and the dark feeling grew stronger.

'What is going on? Who is this creep?' Her thoughts jumbled together as Sora talked to the suspicious man.

"So you're from another world!" A slight gasp escaped from Mari's mouth and she slapped her hand over her mouth. Neither Sora, nor the cloaked man seemed to hear her.

"There is so very much to learn. You understand so little." Sora's eyes narrowed angrily.

"Oh, yeah? Well you'll see! I'm gonna' get out and learn what's out there!"

"A meaningless effort. One who knows nothing can understand nothing." Mari leaned forward too heavily and the earthen wall beneath her hand caved, causing her to fall to the ground clumsily. Sora turned around in surprise and the cloaked man faded away.

"What the, Mari!" Mari coughed embarrassingly as Sora helped her up from the ground.

"Eheheh, I'm such a klutz." Something caught her eye and her previous embarrassment faded away.

"Oh my God…" Sora turned around, and immediately his face turned bright red.

"It's not what it looks like!" Mari pushed past Sora, and planted her hands on a specific drawing on the wall.

"You drew yourself giving a paopu fruit to Kairi? Aww!" Sora jumped in front of Mari and waved his arms madly, blushing as red as a lobster.

"I did not! It's uh..a-uh, a shooting star![1]" Mari paused and raised an eyebrow disbelievingly.

"Really Sora, really?" Sora sighed tiredly as his shoulders slumped.

"Don't tell her, please?" Mari grinned widely and placed her arm around her friend's slumped shoulders.

"Tell her what? I know nothing of which you speak!" Sora grinned mischievously.

"That explains SO much." Mari laughed until the insult of his words dawned upon her.

"Hey wait a minute…" Sora laughed and ran out of the Secret Place, a furious Mari hot on his heels.

The sun was setting in the distance, and Mari was sitting on the adjacent island by herself. Her thoughts drifted to the raft that had been finished earlier that day and a feeling of anxiousness implanted itself in her heart. Why was she so nervous? Was it because she was leaving the only place she had ever known? Her tumultuous thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shoes meeting sand. A figure sat next to her, and Mari didn't have to look to know who it was.

"What are you doing here by yourself?" An uneasy smile wormed its way on Mari's face as she leaned against the person in exhaustion.

"No reason, just thinking about tomorrow." He laughed and rested his head on top of hers.

"Nervous?" Mari took notice of the silver strands mixing with her black hair and a look of mischief crossed her face.

"Not as nervous as you apparently, you're prematurely gray." Riku stiffened and he jabbed Mari in the ribs. Mari squealed and slapped Riku's hand forcefully, which in turn hurt her own hand more than it hurt his.

"So much for 'not being ticklish' huh," Mari huffed and fought the smile forcing its way on her face.

"I'm not, I'm just hypersensitive. Look it up." Riku laughed and shook his head. Silence filled the air between them, and Mari found herself yawning. Slowly, she stood up and brushed the sand off of her skirt.

"Wow, I'm beat. I'll see you tomorrow?" Riku nodded and Mari grabbed her backpack. As she turned to leave, Riku asked something that made her pause in her steps.

"Mari, you trust me right?" Mari turned to him, confused.

"Of course I trust you. Why would you ask a silly question like that?" Riku shrugged.

"Just wondering," Mari shook her head and waved at him over her shoulder. Riku stared out into the sky and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

"We'll see…"

Thunder clapped and the very frame of the house shook as Mari watched the storm in fear. A dark orb was forming in the sky, and it was the most terrifying thing she had ever seen. Suddenly, the door to her bedroom burst open and Sora stood in the doorway.

"Mari! We have to go!" Mari jumped off of her bed and pulled her boots on.

"Wait, why?" Sora grabbed Mari's hand and pulled her out of her house, running as if his life depended on it.

"The raft!" Mari's eyes widened, she had completely forgotten about the raft! They both jumped in the same paddleboat, and quickly paddled over to the other island. Mari and Sora shot each other a look when they saw Riku and Kairi's boats docked next to them.

"Riku and Kairi are here too?" Sora jumped out of the boat and they ran off of the dock. Sora skidded to a stop and Mari ran into his back.

"What are you doing?!" Sora's face was ashen, as if he was reliving a nightmare.

"Those creatures from my dream…" Mari was about to comment on Sora's sudden insanity, but instead yelped as a large, black _ant_-like creature with empty, yellow eyes materialized next to her.

"What the heck?!" The creatures started forming everywhere and Mari inched closer to Sora.

"Sora! What are these things?"

"I don't know!" The two teens ran even as the dark creatures swiped at their feet. They came to a stop at the adjacent island, relief written across their faces as they saw Riku standing in the middle.

"Riku!" Riku turned and Mari's heart plummeted as she saw the look on his face. Just like her dream…

"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!"

"The door has opened…" Sora and Mari looked at each other in confusion, then to Riku.

"Huh?"

"The door has opened! Now we can go to the outside world!" Mari jumped as a puddle of darkness appeared beneath her foot.

"What are you talking about? We've gotta' find Kairi!"

"Kairi's coming with us! Once we step through, we might not be able to come back." Mari shrieked as the darkness crawled up her leg and she ran in between Sora and Riku.

"DO YOU TWO NOT NOTICE THE DARKNESS TRYING TO EAT MY LEG?" Riku continued talking as if Mari wasn't there.

"We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" Mari turned to Riku and shook him by the shoulders.

"Are. You. INSANE?! You're so desperate to leave that you'd turn to _this_?" Mari motioned to the darkening ground beneath them. Riku finally looked at her and Mari knew there was no way of getting through to him.

"You said you trusted me." Tears swam in Mari's eyes even as the darkness started to consume her and Riku.

"Trust is easy to break." Riku's eyes widened in surprise at Mari's words and the darkness consumed the both of them.

"Look a star's goin' out!" Goofy pointed to the sky as a star slowly blinked out of the sky. Donald looked perplexed and motioned for Goofy to follow him.

"Come on. Let's hurry!"

Mari groaned as she placed her hand to her aching head, which felt like someone had taken a hammer to it repeatedly. The brown cobblestone beneath her was unfamiliar to her, and she jolted out of her stupor.

"What the- where am I?"

**To Be Continued…**

**[1] I might've had a blonde moment the first time I played Kingdom Hearts and thought he had drawn a shooting star. My brother corrected my assumption *sweatdrops***

**Well, that's my newest project! I hope you guys liked it! **


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